1. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates to a character information processor for printing or transferring one or more lines of input characters onto a printing medium. The present invention can be applied to, for example, a device for printing characters on tape (hereunder referred to simply as a tape printing device), which uses tape as a printing medium, and a seal making device in which a transfer medium (or printing medium) is the face of a carved seal.
2. Description of The Related Art
In the case of a conventional tape printing device for printing a title on the spine or back of a binder (namely, a detachable cover with rings or clamps) or on a "title label" to be attached to a cassette for use in a video cassette recorder (VCR) or in a video tape recorder (VTR), input characters entered by using keys such as alphanumeric keys are printed on the other side of the adhesive-backed tape by performing, for example, a thermal transfer printing to thereby produce an objective printed tape.
In this conventional tape printing device, the keys for entering information representing characters are placed on a console panel. Thus a desired sequence of characters can be inputted by operating such keys for entering information representing characters. Moreover, this conventional tape printing device is formed in such a manner that tape can be fed through a tape discharging slot by driving a tape feeding mechanism. Furthermore, a printing mechanism, which is constituted by a thermal print head, and a tape cutting mechanism are placed in series in this passage for tape. When a print instruction key is operated, a control means of the tape printing device controls and causes the tape feeding mechanism to feed the tape at a predetermined speed. The control means further controls and causes a print station to print preliminarily inputted characters on the fed tape. Moreover, upon completion of printing of a sequence of the characters, the control means of the tape printing device continuously controls and causes the tape feeding mechanism to feed the tape until a printed part of the tape goes out of the device. When the printed part of the tape goes out of the device, the control means causes the tape feeding mechanism to make the tape stop running. Further, after the tape stops running, a user operates the tape cutting mechanism to thereby obtain a custom label, on which the sequence of desired characters are printed.
Even in the case of the aforementioned conventional tape printing device, a sequence of desired characters can be inputted and edited by performing an input operation method similar to a method employed in a character information processor such as what is called a word processor. However, in the cases of employing the writing systems of languages, each of which uses many kinds of characters, for example, in the cases of the Japanese and Chinese writing systems, a large number of keys are necessary for directly inputting such characters to the device. Thus, the Japanese characters and the Chinese characters are preliminarily stored in a character-generator memory (hereunder referred to simply as a CG-memory) correspondingly to the combinations of letters of the alphabet of English. Further, the device is endowed with a character conversion function by which a Japanese or Chinese character corresponding to an inputted combination of keyed letters of the alphabet of English is read from the CG-memory. Thereby, the number of necessary keys is reduced. This character conversion function is applied not only to Japanese and Chinese but can be applied to a case where various kinds of symbols, for example, double-wide symbols respectively representing marks such as an arrow, a heart and a spade are stored in the CG-memory (sometimes, such symbols are generically named "full-size character" or "two-byte character"). In the case of converting an input combination of characters of the alphabet of English to a Japanese character, some conventional tape printing devices employ a two-stage conversion method by which the input combination of characters of the alphabet of English is first converted to a set of kana characters of the alphabet of Japanese and subsequently, the set of kana characters are further converted into a kanji character. This method is named "kana-kanji conversion or translation". Kana characters are inputted correspondingly to the pronunciation of a kanji character. In the case where input keys correspond to an English alphabetic code, an input code corresponding to the Roman alphabet is first converted into a kana character code and thereafter, this kana character code is further converted into a kanji character code through the kana-kanji conversion.
The conventional tape printing device, however, is small in size in comparison with ordinary personal computers, electronic typewriters and word processors. Thus, the console panel of the conventional tape printing device has a small area, and a liquid crystal display, on the screen of which only several lines of characters can be displayed, is mounted on a display unit thereof. Further, many people, who have inexperienced in using word processors or the like and are unfamiliar with character inputting operations, use the conventional tape printing device. The conventional tape printing device, therefore, has only a small number of kinds of the functions of editing a sequence of characters, namely, the character editing function of the conventional tape printing device are limited. Thus, the conventional tape printing device does not have, for example, the functions of moving, correcting and reconverting a sequence of characters. Here, the function of moving a sequence of characters (namely, a character string) is defined as that of taking in the character string to be moved after depressing a moving key, and thereafter moving the character string to a designated destination. Further, the function of correcting a sequence of characters is defined as that of automatically deleting a sequence of characters in a designated range to be corrected after depressing a correcting key, and thereafter automatically inserting another sequence of characters inputted until depressing the correcting key, as a substitute for the deleted characters. Moreover, the function of reconverting a sequence of characters is defined as that of bringing back a designated sequence of (definitely) determined characters into an indeterminate state.
The aforementioned insufficiency of functions of editing a sequence of characters has resulted in the need for complex remedial actions against wrong operations such as an erroneous designation of a character input position, a selection of an erroneous character during the kana-kanji conversion and a choice of an erroneous one of two separate forms (namely, hiragana and katakana) of kana. Moreover, in the case of such a remedial action, the frequency of utilizing the deletion function is very high. For example, when moving a character string from its original position, an operator should delete the character string displayed thereat. Further, when correctly changing a sequence of (definitely) determined kanji characters (namely, (definitely) determined Chinese character) into, for instance, another sequence of kanji characters or hiragana characters, the sequence of the kanji characters to be corrected should be deleted. Note that such deleting operations itself should be prevented from being wrongly performed. Furthermore, the screen, on which an input character string is displayed, of the display unit of the conventional tape printing device has a small area, as a result of requiring and pursuing the reduction in physical size and cost of the device. Consequently, most of the conventional tape printing devices do not employ a deleting function of the type, by which the leading character and the ending character of a character string to be deleted, but employs a deleting function by which one character is deleted therefrom each time when a deleting key is depressed. Therefore, the deleting key should be repeatedly operated in order to delete a large number of characters successively. Thus an operator is liable to carelessly operate the deleting key too many times, so that the operator may delete characters which should not be deleted.
Further, a full-text erasing function of erasing all of character strings, which have been an object to be printed on the tape, and a paragraph erasing function of erasing all of a set of lines of characters (hereunder referred to as a paragraph), which is a unit of change in the number of lines or rows, in a combination of character sizes respectively employed corresponding to lines and in the printing style such as vertical writing and horizontal writing, are furnished to the conventional tape printing device as the functions of simultaneously deleting (or erasing) a large number of characters. In the cases of most of the conventional tape printing devices, both of these deleting functions are assigned to operations of simultaneously depressing both of a shift key and a key for deleting a single character and are designated by using a selection menu displayed on the screen of the display unit thereof. Therefore, there has been the fear of performing the full-text erasing function or the paragraph erasing function wrongly.
Meanwhile, in the case of the tape printing device, objects to be printed are labels such as a "title label". Thus, a user of the tape printing device often wishes to print a text containing characters of various sizes, the number of kinds of which is larger than that of kinds of sizes of characters contained in an ordinary printed matter produced by using another kind of character information processor. The tape printing device, therefore, support various sizes of characters and is adapted to easily change the size of characters in a part of a text to be printed. Among such various sizes of characters, in the case of some character size, the number of dots (or pixels) arranged in a vertical direction (namely, in the direction of a column) is equal to that of dots arranged in a horizontal or lateral direction (namely, in the direction of a row). However, in comparison with characters of such a size, a character of another character size is shrunk in the lateral direction. Thus, there are a large number of kinds of the sizes of full-size characters. Further, the character size of a character can be easily changed among the sizes of full-size characters. Thus, half-size characters are not available in the conventional tape printing device. When a user requests the conventional tape printing device to print a character of the size which is of the order of the half size, the tape printing device copes with the user request by using a smaller full-size character size. Here, the "full-size character" is defined as a character represented by using dots arranged in such a manner that the number of dots arranged in a vertical direction is equal to that of dots arranged in a horizontal or lateral direction. Further, the "half-size character" is defined as a character represented by using dots arranged in such a manner that the number of dots arranged in a vertical direction of the "half-size character" is equal to that of dots arranged in the vertical direction of the "full-size character" and that the number of dots arranged in a horizontal or lateral direction of the "half-size character" is half of the number of dots arranged in the horizontal direction of the "full-size character". Incidentally, in the case of kana, which is, so to speak, the alphabet of Japanese, the number of dots required for representing a kana character is as small as that of dots required for representing a letter of the English alphabet. Thus, each kana character can be represented as a full-size or half-size character used for representing a kanji character. In contrast, a large number of dots are necessary for representing each of most of kanji characters, as compared with the number of dots required for representing a letter of the English alphabet. It is thus difficult to represent each of most of kanji characters as a half size character. Consequently, most of kanji characters can be represented only as a full-size character.
Thus, regarding a spacing function, there has been provided only the function of instructing the device to create a space (hereunder referred to as a full-size space), which is as large as a full-size character, when printing.
Labels, which are objects to be printed by the tape printing device, are frequently used as those to be attached to the spine of a file cover, to a cassette (tape) for use in audiovisual (AV) equipment, and to users' belongings for identification of individuals. Character strings inputted to the tape printing device, therefore, often contain no paragraphs, differently from the case of ordinary sentences printed by character information processors such as what is called a word processor. Usually, there is little space in the input character strings. However, spaces are present in an input character string in cases restricted to some extent, for example, in the cases that a personal name should be clearly distinguished from a family name in a character string representing a full name and that the name of a section should be clearly distinguished from that of a department in a character string representing the names of the department and the section of a company.
In the case of the tape printing device, an object to be printed is a label, so that a character pitch (or character spacing) employed in such a label in such a manner as to depend on a designated attribute is made or set to be larger than character pitches employed in documents or the like printed by other character information processors even when an "ordinary" attribute is designated. Therefore, in the case that a space is inserted between the family name and the personal name or between the names of the department and the section as above described, the inserted space becomes fairly large. As a result, labels, which give most of users a sense of incongruity, are formed.
Moreover, the conventional tape printing device further has the function of modifying or embellishing characters and the function of putting a border or frame (namely, a ruled-line frame or enclosure) around a character string. Thereby, the conventional tape printing device can produce various labels.
Meanwhile, the latest tape printing device comes to be able to perform a multi-line printing (namely, to print, for instance, four lines at the maximum simultaneously) Thus, recently, there has been a user request for the printing of a table. Further, there has been already proposed a tape printing device which can fulfill the user request.
For example, when a label, on which a table of FIG. 17(A) is printed, is formed, in the case of the conventional tape printing device, a ruled-line border is designated correspondingly to each of character strings "FIRST GROUP", "SUZUKIxx", "TAKAHASHI.smallcircle..smallcircle..smallcircle." and "SATOHA.DELTA..DELTA.".
The conventional tape printing device, however, has drawbacks in that it is necessary for printing a table to designate a ruled-line border correspondingly to each of character strings to be inserted in the ruled-line frame of the table and in that thus the operation of making out the table is complex.
Moreover, the conventional tape printing device further has a drawback in that a same ruled line is printed doubly (or twice) in an overlap among the ruled-line borders respectively put around the character strings and thus each part of the ruled lines, which is doubly printed, becomes thicker than the peripheral ruled-lines of the table.
Furthermore, the conventional tape printing device has additional drawbacks in that if a plurality of character strings belonging to a same column of a table are different in length from one another and moreover, a ruled-line frame is designated correspondingly to and is put around each of the plurality of character strings without taking remedial steps, an incongruent table is formed as illustrated in FIG. 17(B), and in that it is necessary for avoiding making such an incongruent table to designate a ruled-line frame correspondingly to each of the plurality of character strings after suitably inserting spaces into the character strings in such a manner that the plurality of character strings belonging to the same column of the table become of a same length, with the result that the operation of making the table becomes complex.
As described above, the tape printing device is directed mainly to making labels. Thus the tape printing device is adapted to exert many printing effects concerning attributes such as a layout and sizes of characters and a layout of ruled lines, in comparison with other character information processors for printing character strings on predetermined forms of A4-size and B5-size. Consequently, a user can set the tape printing device in such a manner as to exert a given printing effect.
Incidentally, some printing effect (or attribute) is designated (or set) correspondingly to each character. Further, another printing effect is designated correspondingly to each paragraph. Moreover, still another printing effect is designated correspondingly to the whole of the character strings (hereunder sometimes referred to as a sentence) to be printed.
Furthermore, the printing effects to be designated correspondingly to each character are, for example, the modification (or embellishment) of a character, the font thereof, a character pitch, ruled lines and a half-tone dot meshing. Hereinafter, such printing effects will be referred to generically as a mode of a character. Further, the printing effects to be designated correspondingly to each paragraph are, for instance, a combination of character sizes, vertical writing/horizontal writing, a frame and a layout of characters in a paragraph. Hereinafter, these printing effects will be referred to generically as a style of a paragraph. Moreover, the printing effects to be designated correspondingly to each sentence are, for example, effects concerning the position of a character string in the entire label, front and rear margins, and a mirror image character/a normal image character. Hereinafter, these printing effects will be referred to generically as a form of a sentence. As described hereinabove, there are many items to be set (namely, options or choices) for exerting the printing effects. Further, naturally, the tape printing device has a plurality of alternatives for each of the items or options.
Here, if the tape printing device has a large number of alternatives for each of the items or options, the degree of freedom of a label, which a user can make by using the tape printing device, is considerably high, while the operability of the tape printing device becomes low owing to the large number of choices. For example, when a user makes a simple label, there is a fear that the user may feel the troublesomeness or complicatedness of the operation of making a choice. Conversely, if the tape printing device has a limited number of alternatives of each of the items, the operability of the tape printing device is high, while the degree of freedom of a label, which a user can make by using the tape printing device, becomes low. For example, when a user makes an elaborate label, there is a fear that the tape printing device cannot cope with such a user request.
Note that there are additional items to be set (for example, a file editing function), which have a plurality of alternatives, other than the items concerning the printing effects. However, when making a choice with regard to one of the additional items, a problem of a trade-off between the operability and the degree of freedom arises, similarly as in the case of the items concerning the printing effects.
Further, such a problem is caused not only by the tape printing device but also by a character information processor for processing an object to be printed or transferred, which has the considerably high degree of freedom of attributes such as character pitches, character sizes and margins. For example, a similar problem crops up in, for example, a seal making device adapted to use a resin, whose part is hardened upon receiving ultraviolet radiation and left over after the other part is removed by the action of a predetermined fluid, as the face of a seal to be carved by being irradiated with light rays corresponding to input characters (incidentally, this is a transferring operation, and in the specification of the instant application, the term "printing" includes the concept of "transferring").
The present invention is accomplished in view of the aforementioned drawbacks and problems of the conventional device.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a character information processor which has many modification functions to be performed according to the level of skill of an operator by using a small number of key entry means.
Further, another object of the present invention is to provide a character information processor that has good operability and can take remedial steps against errors and wrongs, which are caused at the time of inputting and editing characters, by performing simple operations without completing a console panel.
Moreover, a further object of the present invention is to provide a character information processor, by which a printed document or the like giving a user a sense of congruity can be obtained even if a space is inserted into a character string to be printed thereon.
Furthermore, still another object of the present invention is to provide a character information processor, by which an operation of making a table can be easily performed and a table of high printing quality can be obtained.
Additionally, yet another object of the present invention is to provide a character information processor that has good operability and can easily fulfill both of a user request for the operability and a request for the degree of freedom of the contents of a printed document or the like.